Saying goodbye to Maria Teresa Carlson

The assignment to cover the funeral of Maria Teresa Carlson in Laoag City last Saturday came at a time when I was running a 38.5 degree fever. But I had no choice but to take that long trip to Laoag because the show had already pumped in more than a quarter of a million pesos for that coverage alone. So, at 2 a.m. of Friday, I was already at the GMA-7 studio in EDSA – armed with my aspirin tablets, cough syrup and antibiotics.

The atmosphere outside the studio compound (what with all the vehicles lined up and ready to go) reminded me of the field trips I used to take in my elementary years – except that I don’t remember going on a field trip at 2 a.m. in grade school.

At around 2:30 a.m., production unit manager Janine Piad bade us goodbye. "Us" meant a whole OB van, a huge generator on wheels and several vans that carried the staff, the crew and myself.

At one point during that early morning trip, our associate producer, Kokoy Boncan, happened to glance at the driver and almost had a heart attack when he saw him (the driver) asleep while hitting 120 along the expressway.

For a while, I felt that my companions had this bright idea of making me take over the wheel – until I let off a nasty coughing spell that reminded them of my condition.

"To keep our driver awake, we had to make a stopover at one of Shell’s Select outlets in Pangasinan where we drowned him with black coffee. (Also making a beeline for coffee there was Department of Justice Secretary Hernando Perez who must have been on his way to one of the provinces up north.)

When we reached Laoag, it was already 1:30 p.m. Although tired, the crew had to set up the microwave satellite at the cemetery where Maria Teresa Carlson was going to be laid to rest the following day.

As for me, I was absolutely useless to anyone that time because my condition had worsened during the long trip. I decided to just sleep off the entire afternoon at my hotel room to recover my strength.

At a little past five in the afternoon, I decided to resurrect back to life and start the grind. Working on a tip given to me by GMA news reporter Jay Taruc, who covered the wake in Laoag for the week, I went to the Fort Ilocandia Hotel where Maria’s mother and sisters were staying.

Maria’s mom, Zenaida Gerodias and her two other daughters, Gidget and Joanna (who is six months pregnant) plus Joanna’s husband, Brett, arrived in Manila from Chicago the other Monday. However, they got to Laoag only last Thursday – at around 5:30 p.m. But for some reason only they know – and we will respect that – they didn’t show up at the wake.

When I tried to contact Zenaida and her daughters at their hotel rooms, I didn’t get a response (I presumed they were out to dinner).

From Fort Ilocandia, I proceeded to the wake at the Fariñas’ hilltop home in Bgy. Barit. The open ground facing the house was swelling with people. Obviously, they were there to sincerely condole with Maria’s family and not simply to stargaze because there were no movie celebrities who went to the wake.

In the beginning, I was a bit apprehensive about approaching Rudy Fariñas because I was told earlier that he wasn’t exactly very fond of GMA-7. But I was introduced to him anyway and he proved to be very polite and courteous – every inch a gentleman.

I stayed at the wake for a couple of hours – after which I proceeded to the cemetery to do some voice-over spiels. (I had to do it at the cemetery because our OB van – with all the equipment – was parked ther.) That gave me the creeps because, well, that was a cemetery and that was past midnight and there were huge rats running all over the ground.

The following day, our researcher Belinda Felix went straight to the Fariñas home to check on the last- minute funeral preparations, while I proceeded to the St. William’s Cathedral where a Mass was going to be said for the repose of Maria’s soul. (In 1993, Maria – at the age of 31 – was baptized here because she and Rudy Fariñas were going to have their church wedding and apparently no one could confirm from her side of the family if she had really been baptized under the rites of the Roman Catholic Church).

In one of the church pews sat some of Maria’s second cousins from Pangasinan (although most of them are now Manila-based). They were provided lodging by Fariñas at the North View Hotel in Laoag.

Outside the cathedral, my cameraman and I went to check if Maria’s mother and sisters were already there. Since we didn’t know how they looked like, my cameraman and I relied on our instincts. It was my cameraman who found them – in a dark green Pregio van.

When I was about to approach their vehicle for an interview, however, the Suburban pick-up bearing the casket of Maria suddenly pulled in from the Cathedral’s side gate. Driving the vehicle was Ria, Maria’s only daughter and eldest child.

As soon as Zenaida and her daughters got off their van, I went straight to them to get some statements. Unfortunately, one of them just pushed aside my microphone and Brett covered the lens of the camera with his hand.

Now, I don’t take that against Zenaida and her daughters because I knew they were in mourning. In fact, I felt rotten inside for having hounded them starting at Fort Ilocandia. But then, this is the competitive world of television. Also, I figured that would have been an opportunity for them to say whatever sentiments they have – given all these wild talks about Maria’s life and death.

At the cathedral, a Mass was said by the Bishop Edmundo Abaya, who is the Fariñas family’s spiritual adviser.

At the end of the Mass, the casket bearing Maria’s remains was put on top of a carro that is traditionally used during the Good Friday processions by the Santo Entierro. (Sometimes, it is also used to carry the remains of Ilocos Norte’s prominent citizens.) From the cathedral, the funeral cortege proceeded to the Laoag Floral Garden (it’s one of the most modern cemeteries in the province) where Maria’s remains were eventually laid to rest.

It was touching to see people from the different towns of Ilocos gathered at Maria’s funeral. No, they weren’t just kibitzers. they were really there to condole and sympathize with the family of Purao (meaning, White – which was how they referred to Maria).

Before 4 p.m., Maria had already been laid to rest. When the crew and I left the cemetery, the family was still there acknowledging the condolences of the hundreds of people who were there to say their final goodbye to television’s beloved Si Ikaw, Si Ako.